12 Volt lights bright then dim

[Irlpguy]

Purchasing the multi meter will get you started on finding the problem. I suspect the 12V converter is not working properly as you have surmised.
I don't know how many lights you have but I would have thought the converter would have been capable of providing sufficient output to power them all. It appears it was put into an overload condition and shut down temporarily when your lights went out.
When you said " I then unplugged shore power and got no 12 volt lighting" had you reconnected the battery? If you had then it would appear the battery is also dead, or there is still some wiring issue.
My guess is the converter and you are on the right track in making that determination...good job.

[H. John Kohl]

quote:Originally posted by Recumbent

I have tightened all the lugs and the fuse/breaker panel and checked the connections on the converter with shorepower unplugged and the battery disconnected. Then after reconnecting to shorepower and the battery the 12v lights would not come on for a few minutes, the AC lights worked just fine. I waited about 3 minutes and the lights then came on very dim. In about 10 minutes all lights came and were bright. I then turned all the 12 volt lights on at once and then they blinked off-on about 5 times then went off. I checked and no shot fuses or tripped breakers. I then unpluged shorepower and got no 12 volt lighting. When plugged into shorepower the converter makes a humming noise for a while then quitens down, and after a few minutes the fan cuts on. I suspect the converter in not actually charging the battery, and since I purchased a new battery last week I have been using up the charge that came with it when doing a few things like slides and jacks. I have been postponing buying a multi meter but now need one, so will go to Lowes to get one then follow the posted WFCO trouble shooting page instructions.

Gary,
You have done a great job trouble shooting and describing what is happening. There is a lot going on.
I agree with your comment the converter is not charging your battery.
I would look for blown fuses at the converter first.

Your comment "I then turned all the 12 volt lights on at once and then they blinked off-on about 5 times then went off. " makes me suggest looking at the converter. It is a 65 amp converter and all the lights alone should not over load the converter. Well I don't think they should.

I guess on my priority list would be first correcting so the convert charges the battery. With the battery charged the convert has to just refill the current bucket instead of providing all at once.
Once you are charging the battery then next is determining if the converter is functioning at its proper capacity. Which the above on-off on blink indicates it is not.

If you are using the unit full time, first get a battery charger to recharge your batter off 120 volt ac. Then troubleshoot with the battery disconnected.

Ref the charge wizard. Your converter does not have one available.

[Recumbent]

Thanks, will go this morning and buy multimeter and separate battery charger for the farm shop and charge the Monty battery. We are not fulltime, but do spend about 6 months total of each year in the Monty. We are currently at the stickhouse until year end. Will know more after testing with multimeter.

[Recumbent]

Purchased new multimeter and battery charger. Unhooked battery and tested the conveter: 121.6 vac coming in at receptical, 13.69 vdc with no lights on coming out, turned lights on and they were bright, then converter fan attempts to turn on making a humming noise and immediately vdc drops to around 5.5 to 5.7 and lights dim, the more lights on the dimmer each one becomes. Checked the new battery and had 13.11 vdc, attached new charger and indicator showed 96% charged. As a side note charged batter to 100%. Just a guess here, but possibly the switching for fan motor is shorting, or fan motor itself is hanging. I have noticed the fan motor coming on occasionally with no unusual noise. I checked the vdc on wall near battery at red covered junctions and both were at zero. The battery apparently is getting charged when hooked to TV. Still need to somehow verify current is moving through wires from fully charged battery back into the Monty, but got to stop here and make a scheduled appointment. Any thoughts or ideas are welcome. The battery maybe getting some charge from the converter at times of no unusual noise, but the humming noise appears to be the issue. There maybe some other stuff I have missed that others can help with, just let me know. Thanks in advance. Garry

[racerjoe]

sounds like fan is seized up. converter itself may be bad. As you stated voltage drops to almost nothing when fan tries to run. If you can,I would remove the converter to have checked or replaced

[Irlpguy]

Your test of the converter using the new multimeter would indicate the converter is working properly according to the troubleshooting section in their manual. That is indicated also by the fact that initially the lights are bright, as you add load the fan "should" automatically come on to cool the heat sinks. Your fan is obviously seized and cannot operate, as was suggested by racerjoe.

The seized fan along with the lights, will put a sizable current load on the converter and your voltage will drop accordingly, when the converter current load or temperature reaches a certain point one of those safety features will shut the converter off.

With the battery properly connected and few or no lights on your converter might work properly in charging the battery, when you have very little load on the components in the converter the fan may not come on at all, the fan is controlled by a heat sensor at the heat sinks. If they do not require cooling the fan will not come on.

I don't know if the fan alone can be replaced in your converter, if not then the converter would require replacement. You might be able to find that out from the manufacturer.

I would say you have found the problem, you now need to determine if the fan alone can be replaced or you will need to replace the entire converter. Most electronic items are not often consumer serviceable unless you know what you are doing, even then they are usually made in such a way as to be toss away and replace.

Good luck on the next stage.

[snfexpress]

Xantrex has a 2 year warranty on their converters. Don't know about others.

[Recumbent]

Going to order a new converter. Should I stick with same or is there a better one? Happy Thanksgiving to all, Garry

[Irlpguy]

I don't believe you ever said Gary but if your converter is built into the electrical panel as a combination unit, rather than worry about getting one to fit made by a different manufacturer, you might want to just order the one from WFC. If they are separate units then you can more easily go with another brand.
My advise: set the problem aside, get prepared to enjoy Thanksgiving and attack it again after the weekend.

Happy Thanksgiving to all our American Friends.

[Recumbent]

The converter sets on the floor behind the rear wall of the basement, and any floor mounted brand will fit. You are right-on with stopping for Thanksgiving and am doing so in about 1 minute. Thanks again and Happy Thanksgiving. Garry

[Irlpguy]

In that case Gary I would purchase this unit: http://www.progressivedyn.com/rv_con..._pd9280_2.html

It has the built in Charge Wizard. I would also purchase the Converter Status Remote Pendant. You can mount that on the wall of the basement, or wherever, so that it gives you a visual indication of the charge mode the converter is in and allows you to manually change modes if you so desire.

My 2012 Monty has the 90amp version of this converter but built into the combination AC/DC distribution panel.

Although it has more capacity than your original I would go with the 80amp model as in the link.

Check it out, perhaps others will agree/disagree with this choice.

I am now off to my grand daughters 17th birthday supper.

Happy Thanksgiving.

[snfexpress]

We went with the 9280 when our OEM converter fried, mainly because it was the only one available on short notice. However, we like it, especially with the remote indicator for the Charge Wizard, which I mounted on the stair wall.